Mid-week Meat Pie
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked and chopped
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
1kg beef mince
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
125ml (½ cup) red wine (such as shiraz or cabernet sauvignon)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
250-500ml (1–2 cups) beef or chicken stock
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp water, for egg wash
1 × 375g roll of frozen butter puff pastry, thawed
1 tsp black sesame seeds or nigella seeds (optional)
To Serve
Steamed baby peas
Tomato sauce
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium–high heat and add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, rosemary and salt and pepper and sweat off, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes to soften the vegetables.
Add the mince to the pan and break up the lumps with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the beef changes colour, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle on the flour and cook off, stirring once or twice, for a further 30 seconds.
Now stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, then pour in the wine and bring to the boil. Add the Worcestershire sauce and stock, adding the stock gradually until you reach your desired consistency, then cover with the lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until the beef filling is thick and rich.
Pour the beef filling into a 25 cm (1.5 litre) round pie dish and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced.
Brush a little egg wash around the rim of the pie dish and cover the beef filling with the pastry. Press to seal around the edge, then trim the excess pastry. Brush the pastry with the egg wash and pierce a hole in the centre of the pie with a small sharp knife. Sprinkle on the sesame or nigella seeds, if using, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pie is golden brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving with the peas and tomato sauce.